“Sweet Isis, what were you thinking?” I cried, trying not to choke on the dust still settling around us.
“I was thinking that you’d enjoy seeing what real driving is,” he said lightly. “I love it, but it seems that it’s too much for you. My apologies, Nefertiti. We won’t do that again.”
“I wasn’t afraid of how fast we were going,” I said, on the defensive. “You steered so violently, taking such sharp turns that I thought we were going to flip over.”
“But did we?” He laughed and handed me the reins. “Why don’t you show me the right way to drive?”
I looked at him steadily. “You know—?”
“My brother took you riding, showed you the temples, taught you how to use a bow, how to guide a chariot, all of that, yes. You know how riddled with Mother’s spies the palace is. I sometimes think that she doesn’t know how many there are. You’ve even played the spy’s part for her, even if it was by accident. Why are you giving me that look?” He tucked my loosened hair back behind my ears with an unexpectedly delicate touch. “I’m not insulting you. I’m grateful that you saved us all from the conspiracy of those Ugarit women. But yes, I do know how happily you and Amenophis spent time together. Why do you think I was so very envious of him? You obviously enjoyed his company.”
“Maybe if you’d given me some sign that you enjoyed mine, too,” I murmured too low for him to hear. I pushed the reins back at him. “I would love to drive these horses, but I can’t. Look at them. They’re ready to die.”
“Pff! They’re strong enough to survive a little exercise. I’ll tell you what: Take them. They’re yours, and the chariot too, my gift to you. I’ll even see to it that the guards at the palace gate let you come and go as you please, completely on your own”—he paused, looking almost shy—“though I would like it if you’d allow me to go with you at least once, so I can see if my brother’s taught you well.”
“You rule Thebes,” I said softly. “You have the authority to do whatever you want. You don’t need to get my permission for anything.”
Thutmose didn’t react right away. He turned to the four chariots surrounding us and made a slashing gesture. “We don’t need you hovering so close. There’s no danger here. Move farther off!” He waited until our escorts had put enough distance between themselves and us to give us privacy, then said, “That’s not the way it’s going to be between us from now on, Nefertiti. When Father proclaimed that he trusted me to rule Thebes in his absence, everything changed. His decision means my place as crown prince is secure. I now stand only one small step away from sharing the rule of all the Black Land with him. He’s not well, and a co-regency would ease his burden. Once that’s established, who else could possibly be the next Pharaoh but me?”
He held my face tenderly in both of his hands and said: “I don’t need to marry you anymore. I give you your freedom.” He sealed the promise with a kiss that made my blood sing and my head spin happily, as though I’d drunk unwatered wine.
Of course he apologized afterward. “I’m sorry, I had no right to do that. I couldn’t help it. I just wanted to know how it felt to kiss such a beautiful girl, and since I’ll never have another chance …” He tried to look shamefaced, but his ear-to-ear smile gave away the lie.
My heart was pounding so hard that I could only nod. I couldn’t tell if it was the heat of the sun or the blood rushing to my face that made me so uncomfortably hot. Another chance …, I thought.
Thutmose leaned forward in the chariot, studying the horses. “They do look done in, don’t they? Now that they’re yours, I ought to take better care of them or you’ll be telling everyone that the crown prince gives second-rate gifts. It might be best if they didn’t pull a loaded chariot all the way home.” He hailed one of our four escorts. When the driver drew up alongside, Thutmose stepped down from our own chariot and beckoned for me to follow, holding out his arms to catch me. I could have dismounted on my own, but I chose to leap into his waiting embrace, my hands clasping his broad, strong shoulders.
We returned to the palace in the borrowed chariot, leaving its driver and armed guard to walk my new chariot and team back. Thutmose kept the horses to a moderate pace, sometimes even slowing them down when there was no real need for that. As we rode into sight of the city, he asked me if I was feeling well.
“That’s a funny question,” I said.
“Not really. You were sick this morning, and I gave you a bone-shaking ride. You should see yourself. You’re covered with dust, your gown is torn, your hair is flying in all directions, and your face is one big smudge.” He was joking.
“You’re no wall painting yourself,” I said, tossing the jest right back at him. “I was sick to my stomach this morning but I’m fine now. No matter how bad I look on the outside, it has nothing to do with how my insides are faring.”
“And yet if there’s a crack in the wine jug, the wine goes sour.”
“I am not a wine jug.”
“You were last night. It’s a good thing old Ptah-Hotep was able to get you emptied out.”
“Don’t remind me,” I said with a shudder.
Abruptly, Thutmose stopped teasing me. “I should send him to you again when we get home. He can give you another dose of medicine.”
“Why? I told you, I feel better now.”
“Yes, but after the crazy way I was driving, I’m afraid I might’ve made your stomach churn up again. You feel well now, but suppose you don’t feel the effects of all that swaying and bouncing until it’s the middle of the night? I couldn’t forgive myself if you suffered or went sleepless.”
“I’d rather not suffer drinking another one of Ptah-Hotep’s vile concoctions.”